Grieving family’s $61,000 flight bill
THE body of a Sydney bride who died while on her honeymoon in Fiji is expected to be flown home today on a private plane.
The heartbreaking trip home will cost Kelly Clarke’s family over $60,000 but they are hopeful their insurance will cover the exorbitant costs.
Mrs Clarke was holidaying with her husband Chase at a resort in Sigatoka when she fell ill on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old shrugged it off as a stomach bug but within hours she was rushed to hospital in Lautoka where doctors began treating her for suspected typhoid but she died two days later.
Mrs Clarke’s brother Murray Shaw last night said the nurse died of “severe bilateral pneumonia”. Mr Clarke said it would cost about $61,000 to bring his wife home on a private plane due to “her stomach bug and infection”.
“We’ve got to abide by their laws,” he said.
Mr Clarke said he now faced having to plan his wife’s funeral.
“She’ll be put on a plane and be taken home (today) hopefully,” he said yesterday.
“We want to go all together as one; we’re definitely not leaving her behind and want to be with her. “We’re sticking together.” The family received a death certificate for Mrs Clarke from Fiji authorities yesterday.
Mrs Clarke’s parents Karen and Graham Ian Shaw flew to Fiji from Sydney to help organise the repatriation of their daughter’s body.
The couple had been on Fiji’s main island in the lead-up to the wedding of Mr Clarke’s best mate. When Mrs Clarke’s condition worsened she was placed in an induced coma.
Her sister Tara Brown quickly launched a Go Fund Me page to help pay for a medical evacuation team to fly her to Auckland, New Zealand, for treatment. Tragically Mrs Clarke died on Friday night before she could be flown to New Zealand.
More than $38,000 has since been raised through the page to help the family cover various costs.
Tributes flowed for Mrs Clarke yesterday, including an emotional post by Mr Shaw on Facebook.
“You beautiful girl and amazing sister you will be deeply missed,” he wrote.